Delirious
| birth_place = Cape Girardeau, Missouri | death_date = | death_place = | resides = Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | billed = Dante's Inferno (GCW) The Edge of Sanity (ROH) The Swamps of Florida (FIP) | trainer = Kid Kash Tracy Smothers | debut = July 19, 2001 | retired = }} William Hunter Johnston (December 19, 1981), better known as Delirious, is an American professional wrestler currently working on the independent circuit, most notably in Ring of Honor, where he also serves as the current head booker. Delirious is known for his unusual antics such as running around the ring crazily, screaming incoherent nonsense. Professional wrestling career Gateway Championship Wrestling (2002-2004; 2006) Delirious started his career in this promotion in January 2002 and he wrestled mainly in it until January 2004; he made a short return in 2005, defeating Dingo on March 3 and was defeated by Dingo in a rematch on March 10. He challenged several times for the GCW Heavyweight Championship but never won it. Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (2003-2005) Delirious made his debut on TNA (While TNA was associated whit NWA) on the February 22, 2003 episode of TNA Xplosion losing to Shark Boy in a singles match. During all of his appearances in TNA Delirious worked as a jobber and didn't win any of his matches. His last match in the promotion was in a losing effort to Samoa Joe on the June 24, 2005, episode of iMPACT!. Independent Wrestling Association Mid-South (2003-2008) Delirious had his debut match in IWA Mid-South on October 23, 2003, at the Revenge Served Cold event, losing to Jaimy Coxxx in a singles match. Delirious unsuccessfully challenged Matt Sydal for the IWA Mid-South Light Heavyweight Championship twice (First in a singles match on January 31, 2004, and the second time in a 2 out of 3 falls match on March 6) before finally defeating Sydal for the title on June 26. He successfully defended the championship against AJ Styles before losing it on August 21 after a double pin between Delirious and Jimmy Jacobs in a championship match making the title vacant. A rematch to determine the champion happened on September 17 in a ladder match that Jacobs won to become the Light Heavyweight title. On November 5 in a shared event between IWA Mid-South and NWA, Delirious unsuccessfully challenged Petey Williams for the TNA X-Division Championship. On November 20 Jimmy Jacobs defeated Delirious in a First Blood Match for the Light Heavyweight Championship; but on December 12 Delirious defeated Jacobs in a mask vs title match to win the Light Heavyweight title for the second time in his career. The rematch between the two happened on February 4, 2005, in a steel cage match, whit Delirious winning and retaining his championship, thus ending the feud whit Jacobs. He held the title for 182 days and defended it successfully against numerous opponents (Arik Cannon, Vito and Brandon Thomaselli and CM Punk) before losing it to Josh Abercrombie on June 11; Delirious was unsuccessful in recapturing the championship in their rematch on June 1. The following day he and CM Punk wrestled in a match that ended in a 1-hour limit draw. On September 9 Delirious unsuccessfully challenged Jimmy Jacobs for the IWA Mid-South Heavyweight Championship. The following day Delirious and Matt Sydal teamed up in a tournament to determine the new IWA Mid-South Tag Team Champions; they defeated Arik Cannon and Frankie The Face in the semi-finals but lost to The Iron Saints (Vito and Sal Thomaselli) in the finals. On September 23 Delirious entered the Ted Petty Invitational 2005 defeating Brandon Thomaselli in the first round but losing to Arik Cannon in the quarterfinals the next day. Delirious then teamed up whit Matt Sydal again to unsuccessfully challenge The Iron Saints for the Tag Team titles on two occasions (One on November 18 and the other on January 26, 2006). At this point, Delirious was not wrestling in this promotion so frequently. He entered the Ted Petty Invitational 2006 on September 29, 2006, defeating Scott Lost in the first round but losing to Roderick Strong in the quarterfinals the next day. On September 7, 2007, Delirious unsuccessfully challenged Chuck Taylor for the IWA Mid-South Heavyweight Championship. Delirious last match at IWA Mid-South happened on May 5, 2008, when he and Claudio Castagnoli defeated Dingo and Jaysin Strife in a tag team match. Other companies (2003-Present) Delirious has made shorts appearances in other promotions like Violent Championship Wrestling (2003), Midwest Renegade Wrestling (2004), Wrestling and Respect (2004), IWA East Coast (2005, 2007, 2009), NWA Central States (2005, 2006, 2007), Mad-Pro Wrestling (2005, 2006, 2009), Heartland Wrestling Association (2005), NWA Florida (2005), SHIMMER (2005), Extreme Wrestling Federation (2006), Rings of Europe (2006), Pro Wrestling Xplosion (2006), Westside Xtreme Wrestling (2006), Pro Wrestling Phoenix (2006), Ballpark Brawl (2006, 2007), UWA Hardcore Wrestling (2006, 2007, 2008), Florida Pro Wrestling Association (2006), International Pro Wrestling: United Kingdom (2006), All Pro Wrestling (2006), Mercury 1 Wrestling (2006), Independent Wrestling Revolution (2006), Dragon Gate (2007), Pro Wrestling Unplugged (2007), Action Zone Wrestling (2007), Grappling Entertainments Athletic Revolution (2008), Pro Wrestling LIVE (2008), Lethal Wrestling Alliance (2008), Velocity Pro Wrestling (2008), Insanity Pro Wrestling (2009), Awesome Wrestling Entertainment (2009), American Luchacore (2009), Pro Wrestling Respect (2010-2011, 2013), Pro Wrestling Bushido (2010), Pro Wrestling WORLD-1 (2011), Horizon Wrestling Alliance (2011), Dynamo Pro Wrestling (2012, 2016), Pro Wrestling EVO (2012), Premiere Wrestling Xperience (2013), On Point Wrestling (2013), Xtreme Wrestling Alliance (2015), Aspire Pro Wrestling (2016), Warriors of Wrestling (2016), Premier Wrestling Federation (2016), FIST Combat (2017) and Georgia Premier Wrestling (2017). NWA Wildside (2003-2005) Delirious debuted on this promotion on June 7, 2003, losing to Matt Sydal in a singles match. Delirious unsuccessfully challenged for the NWA Wildside Junior Heavyweight Championship on July 19 in a singles match against the Champion Seth Delay and on September 6 in a six-way elimination match that was won by Ray Gordy. Delirious continued to appear on this promotion during 2004 and, in 2005, he was unsuccessful in capturing the Junior Heavyweight Title in a four-way ladder match that involved the champion Slim J, Jay Fury and Nick Halen. Delirious' last match at NWA Wildside happened on November 22, being on the losing side of a six-man tag team match. Ring of Honor (2004-Present) Delirious debuted at ROH on April 23, 2004, at the ROH Reborn: Stage One losing to Matt Sydal in a singles match; Delirious would continue to make appearances for the promotion during 2004. On February 25, 2005, he teamed whit Jimmy Jacobs to unsuccessfully challenge BJ Whitmer and Dan Maff for the ROH World Tag Team Championships. Delirious continued to wrestle at ROH but was yet to pick up a singles victory; he got his first victory at ROH Better Than Our Best on April 1, 2006, defeating Ricky Reyes. On April 22, at the ROH The 100th Show event, Delirious won a four corner survival match, after the match ROH World Champion Bryan Danielson, who defended his championship earlier, challenged Delirious to a title match that ended in a referee stoppage. The next month, on May 13 at the Ring of Homicide event, he got his rematch against Danielson for the world championship but was unsuccessful in capturing the title. On June 3 at the Destiny event, Delirious participated in a number #1 contender for the World Championship four corner survival match that also involved Jason Blade, Adam Pearce and Colt Cabana, and was won by the latter. On August 4 at the Time to Man Up event, Delirious unsuccessfully challenged Nigel McGuinness for the ROH Pure Championship. On October 6, Delirious defeated Jimmy Rave in a singles match to qualify for the Survival of the Fittest 2006 Fatal Five Way Elimination match, that also involved Austin Aries, Matt Sydal and the Briscoes (Jay and Mark Briscoe); Delirious eliminated Matt Sydal at the end to win the match and earn a ROH World Title match that he used on November 3 at the Honor Reclaims Boston event against Bryan Danielson; despite Delirious' best efforts he was once again unsuccessful at defeating Danielson. On December 23 Delirious made his Final Battle debut teaming whit Austin Aries and Roderick Strong in a losing effort against the team of CIMA, SHINGO and Matt Sydal in a Six Man Tag Team whit Dragon Gate Rules. During most of 2007, Delirious feuded whit Adam Pearce and his stablemates from The Hangmen 3; this led to many brutal matches, including a six-man tag team match where tables were legal on December 30 at Final Battle 2007 between Pearce and his stablemates BJ Whitmer and Brent Albright and Delirious, Kevin Steen and El Generico, with Pearce's team getting the win. It was around this time that Delirious became the head trainer of the Ring of Honor Wrestling School. From August 2008 to March 2009 Delirious was a part of The Age of the Fall stable using a heel character; he joined it due to the fact that he couldn't get the attention of Daizee Haze. Delirious teamed whit fellow stablemate Jimmy Jacobs very frequently, including in matches for the ROH World Tag Team Championships in two occasions (Both times against the champions Kevin Steen and El Generico, on the Escalation event and Final Battle 2008). After Delirious left the stable he had several matches against Jacobs, including a mixed match where Delirious and Daize Haze teamed up to get the victory against the team of Jacobs and MsChif on the May 9, 2009 episode of Ring of Honor Wrestling. Delirious defeated Jacobs in a fight without honor on the June 27, 2009 episode of Ring of Honor Wrestling and was involved in the end of The Age of the Fall after Jacobs was unsuccessful in attacking Tyler Black after a match and the stable was declared dead. On the March 15, 2010 episode of Ring of Honor Wrestling Delirious was defeated by Davey Richards in a first round singles match for the tournament to determine the first ROH World Television Champion. During most of the rest of 2010 Delirious feuded whit Austin Aries and his allies from The All-Night Express Rhett Titus and Kenny King. On August 2010 Delirious become the head booker of Ring of Honor. On the September 20, 2010 episode of Ring of Honor Wrestling he defeated Austin Aries in a steel cage match to end their feud; after this Delirious started to make fewer appearances at Ring of Honor TV due to his position as head booker for the promotion, he continued to make sporadic appearances at non televised events and shared events whit other promotions. On February 26, 2017, at the first night of the Honor Rising Japan 2017 tour he teamed whit Jushin Thunder Liger and Tiger Mask IV to unsuccessfully challenge Los Ingobernables de Japón (BUSHI, EVIL and SANADA) for the NEVER Openweight Six Man Tag Team Championships. On March 6, at WCPW's event Exit Wounds, Delirious was defeated by Silas Young in a Ring of Honor showcase match. On August 18, at the first night of the War Of The Worlds UK tour Delirious teamed whit Jushin Thunder Liger and Mistico to unsuccessfully challenge Dalton Castle and his boyz Brandon and Brent for the ROH World Six-Man Tag Team Championships. On December 15, at Final Battle 2017 Delirious teamed whit Cheeseburger in a losing effort against The Dawgs (Rhett Titus and Will Ferrara). New Japan Pro Wrestling (2018) On January 4, 2018, at Wrestle Kingdom 12, Delirious was part of the New Japan Rumble match in the preshow of the PPV; he was unsuccessful in winning the match and at the end Masahito Kakihara was victorious. Wrestling facts *'Finishing and signature moves' :*Cobra Stretch :*Chemical Imbalance II :*Shadows Over Hell :*Panic Attack :*Bizarro Driver :*Neverending Story :*Banana Phone *'Tag teams and stables' :*The Age of the Fall :*DP Associates :*Incoherence - with Hallowicked *'Managers' :*Daizee Haze (Independent) (2006-current) *'Wrestlers trained' :*Ernie Osiris :*Daizee Haze *'Theme music' :*"Hybrid Stigmata - The Apostasy" by Dimmu Borgir (CHIKARA, FIP, IWA MS, IWC, PWG, ROH) Championships and accomplishments *'CHIKARA' :*Campeonatos de Parejas (1 time) - with Hallowicked *'International Wrestling Cartel' :*IWC Super Indy Champion (2 time) *'IWA Mid-South' :*IWA Mid-South Light Heavyweight Champion (2 time) *'NWA Midwest' :*NWA Midwest X-Division Champion (1 time) *'Pro Wrestling Illustrated' :*PWI ranked him #'88' of the top 500 singles wrestlers in the PWI 500 in 2008 :*PWI ranked him #'269' of the top 500 singles wrestlers in the PWI 500 in 2013 *'Ring of Honor' :*Survival of the Fittest Winner (2006) *'Other championships' :*ICW/ICWA Tex-Arkana Television Champion (5 time) See also *Delirious’ event history External links * Delirious profile at CAGEMATCH.net * Delirious profile at Wrestling Data.com * Twitter profile Category:1981 births Category:2001 debuts Category:1 Pro Wrestling alumni Category:Action Packed Wrestling alumni Category:Action Zone Wrestling alumni Category:All American Wrestling alumni Delirious Category:American Luchacore alumni Delirious Category:Anarchy Championship Wrestling alumni Category:Ballpark Brawl alumni Category:Big Japan Pro Wrestling alumni Category:Bookers Category:Chikara Pro Wrestling alumni Delirious Category:Dreams Project alumni Category:Dynamo Pro Wrestling alumni Category:Extreme Wrestling Federation alumni Category:Full Impact Pro alumni Category:Gateway Championship Wrestling alumni Category:Grappling Entertainments Athletic Revolution alumni Delirious Category:Horizon Wrestling Alliance alumni Category:Independent Wrestling Revolution alumni Category:Insanity Pro Wrestling alumni Category:International Pro Wrestling: United Kingdom alumni Category:International Wrestling Cartel alumni Category:IWA Mid-South alumni Delirious Category:IWC Super Indy Champions Category:Jersey All Pro Wrestling alumni Category:Juggalo Championship Wrestling alumni Category:Liberty States Wrestling alumni Category:Living people Category:Male wrestlers Category:Maryland Championship Wrestling alumni Category:Masked Wrestlers Category:Midwest Renegade Wrestling alumni Category:Missouri wrestlers Category:New Breed Wrestling Association alumni Category:New Era Pro Wrestling alumni Category:New Japan Pro Wrestling alumni Category:NWA Central States Wrestling alumni Category:NWA Florida alumni Category:NWA Midwest alumni Category:NWA No Limits Wrestling alumni Category:NWA Upstate alumni Delirious Category:On Point Wrestling alumni Category:Premier Wrestling Xperience alumni Category:Preston City Wrestling alumni Category:Pro Wrestling Bushido alumni Category:Pro Wrestling EVO alumni Category:Pro Wrestling Guerrilla alumni Category:Pro Wrestling LIVE alumni Category:Pro Wrestling NOAH alumni Category:Pro Wrestling Phoenix alumni Delirious Category:Pro Wrestling WORLD-1 alumni Category:Pro Wrestling Xplosion alumni Category:Real Championship Wrestling alumni Delirious Category:Rings of Europe alumni Category:Saint Louis Anarchy alumni Category:SHIMMER Women Athletes alumni Category:Squared Circle Wrestling alumni Category:TNT Pro Wrestling alumni Delirious Category:Velocity Pro Wrestling alumni Category:UWA Hardcore Wrestling alumni Category:Upstate Pro Wrestling alumni Category:Westside Xtreme Wrestling alumni Category:What Culture Pro Wrestling alumni Category:Wrestling Is Respect alumni Category:Wrestling And Respect alumni Category:Cape Championship Wrestling alumni